1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable seats that can be used in stadiums, and, more particularly, to a portable stadium seat that is foldable and has storage compartments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Seats in many stadiums are comprised of hard wooden benches which may be uncomfortable for a number of reasons. The hardness and rigidity of the wood is uncomfortable. The wood may splinter causing injury to the person seated. The wood may be wet and, thereby, unsuitable for sitting upon. The wooden bench often does not include a back rest portion. For these reasons, portable stadium seats have been developed. A patron carries one's own portable stadium seat to the stadium for placement upon the hard wooden bench.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to portable stadium seats, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,652; 4,781,413; 4,871,209; 5,067,771; and Des. 258,178.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,652 discloses a seat that is collapsible. That is the seat is disassembled for transportation and storage and reassembled in the stadium. Disassembly and reassembly may be a difficult and confusing task for many people. Moreover, once the parts are disassembled, they are susceptible to being separated from one another and lost. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which did not need to be disassembled for transportation and storage. The stadium seat disclosed in this patent has a retractable tray. However, except for the tray, the seat does not provide storage space for other items that a person may wish to have available in the stadium environment. Such other items include cans of beverages, magazines, a radio, and a blanket to mention just a few. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which included storage space for a variety of items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,413 discloses a stadium seat that has a rigid frame in the form of a seat with a perpendicularly oriented back. The rigid nature of the frame impedes convenient transportation and storage. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which did not include a rigid frame that rigidly orients the back portion to the seat portion at a perpendicular orientation. A well is provided in the seat portion for receiving a beverage can. Another well is provided in the seat portion for retaining small items. However, the storage space is very limited and insufficient for retaining such items as magazines, a radio, and a blanket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,209 discloses a folding stadium seat that includes hinges between the seat portion and the back portion. Essentially no storage space is provided with this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,771 discloses a folding stadium seat that has essentially no storage space for storing items. The back portion has a handle, and the seat portion has a handle. When the back portion is folded against the seat portion, the two handles are side by side and can be grasped simultaneously by a person carrying the folded seat. If one of the handles slips out of the person's grasp, the portion of the device that is not being carried by the handle may fall down under the influence of gravity. This situation may develop because the respective back portion and seat portion are located between the respective handles and the hinges between the back and seat portions. To avoid the possibility of gravity pulling open a folded stadium seat apparatus that is only partially supported by a holder's hand, it would be desirable if the respective back portion and seat portion are not located between respective handles and hinges connecting the back and seat portions to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 258,178 discloses another portable stadium seat. This device folds into a what may appear to be a brief case. A back rest is hingedly connected to the rear of the seat portion. A front hinged portion is hingedly connected to the front of the seat portion. Side bars or straps are used to support the back rest in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the seat portion. The side bars or straps may be undesirable because they may limit motion of the person sitting in the stadium seat. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which did not include side straps or bars for supporting a back rest in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the seat.
Still other features would be desirable in a foldable stadium seat and storage apparatus. For example, when the foldable stadium seat and storage apparatus is carried, it would be desirable if the force of gravity tends to keep the apparatus in a folded orientation. It would also be desirable if the foldable stadium seat and storage apparatus had expandable storage containers.
When a person sits on a stadium seat, the space between the front edge of the seat and the floor is usually not utilized. However, this space, just behind the person's legs that hang over the front edge of the seat, is readily accessible to the person sitting on the seat. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which utilizes the readily accessible space just behind a person's legs that hang over the front edge of the seat for storing items used by the person.
A perpendicular orientation of the back rest to the seat portion is important. In this respect, it would be desirable if a stadium seat were provided which automatically oriented the back rest to the seat portion in a perpendicular orientation when the seat portion is placed on the stadium bench.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use portable stadium seats, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a foldable stadium seat and storage apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not need to be disassembled for transportation and storage; (2)includes storage space for a variety of items; (3) does not include a rigid frame that rigidly orients the back portion to the seat portion at a perpendicular orientation; (4) does not locate a respective back portion and a seat portion between respective handles and hinges which connect the back and seat portions to each other; (5) does not include side straps or bars for supporting a back rest in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the seat; (6) employs the force of gravity to tend to keep the apparatus in a folded orientation; (7) has expandable storage containers; (8) utilizes the readily accessible space just behind a person's legs that hang over the front edge of the seat for storing items used by the person; and (9) automatically orients the back rest to the seat portion in a perpendicular orientation when the seat portion is placed on the stadium bench. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique foldable stadium seat and storage apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.